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For Today...
'Glorious things of Thee are spoken'
Words by JH Newton, tune by FJ Haydn... unless you're one of those people who like to try and set Abbot's Leigh to everything it will fit. There are various versions of the words, with different edits and adjustments for archaisms.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY93NvyqOm4 - a 4 verse version. I'd not heard v3 before.(25/01/2026)
Recent links
'Jesus is Lord! Creation's voice proclaims it'
A golden oldie that still comes up occasionally, either at funerals or in Sunday services.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=prEq8NOx3vs - multi-track recording: Gareth Moore sings and accompanies himself on the piano.(24/01/2026)
'He is exalted'
There's a tricky rhythm for the congregation to deal with at one point, but it's worth keeping in repertoire.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCAL9sULAEA - nice arrangement.(23/01/2026)
'Lord, You are more precious than silver'
Beautiful 4-liner, a golden oldie, still good to work into worship song sequences.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2hGhWiAMQk - live recording.(22/01/2026)
'Turn your eyes upon Jesus'
Useful and pretty timeless worship/prayer 4-liner. (Actually, the chorus from a hymn which fell out of use long before my time.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR7r0Br_HNs - Hillsong version.(21/01/2026)
'I give You all the honour'
One of those slow worship songs from the 1980s that still comes up from time to time. A good solid chord structure for musicians to build on.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6KDcm3Iohw - Marilla Ness recordingwww.youtube.com/watch?v=6ExfROvTxtM - Carl Tuttle album recording (I think)
(20/01/2026)
'The splendour of the King (How great is our God) '
Very popular song of the early 21st century.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBD18rsVJHk - Chris Tomlin recording.(19/01/2026)
'Lord, for the years'
A Timothy Dudley-Smith hymn (with tune by Michael Baughen), very much a 'standard' for looking back / looking forward occasions.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNCuPjAZHZM - a BBC (Radio 2) recording, with all 5 verses. Christ's Hospital choir, accompanied on the organ.(18/01/2026)
'Father, Lord of Earth and Heaven'
Yet another use for 'Stuttgart':- this one is a useful song when the theme is the Baptism of Jesus.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I2OemBmZq0 - a 4 line, 4 verse version.(17/01/2026)
'Good News'
One of those Christmas songs from Graham Kendrick's "The Gift" that can be used as a Christmas song in its own right. More unusually, it works well on the organ, too.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-W4WJGnQoY - from Graham Kendrick Music.(16/01/2026)
'Father, never was love so near (Thanks be to God)'
Another song from Graham Kendrick's 'The Gift'...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2kMH7NuIOE - Graham Kendrick album recording.(15/01/2026)
'Like a candle flame'
Another song from Graham Kendrick's 'The Gift'. Ideally, with a massive crescendo in the final verse on 'from our lives, Spirit blazing'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZGVQKjn_V8 - a version uploaded by Matt Beckingham - a touch different, and nicely done.(14/01/2026)
'What Child is this?'
Victorian hymn, set to Greensleeves, thus sounding much older and more carol-like.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGqf5ha_GEA - Peter Hollens doing his multitracking thing, and doing it very well.(13/01/2026)
'Love came down at Christmas'
Another contribution to Christmas repertoire from Ms Rossetti.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwmf1lcfQnI - sung to Garton, the customary tune.(12/01/2026)
'Joy to the world'
An old hymn (by Isaac Watts), popular at Christmas, and only relatively recently wedded to the tune we all know and love.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBatNMaD85M - choir and orchestra, with a bit of colour in the arrangement. A three verse version, omitting the one with curses, as do we.(11/01/2026)
'Tonight, while all the world was sleeping'
This was the customary Christmas Eve carol service opening for us in the 1990s. It's great fun to play with a good band. And there's definitely a job for an organ in the chorus.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd7_kGGdAwc - from Graham Kendrick Music.(10/01/2026)
'Infant Holy, infant lowly'
A Polish traditional carol with a lovely tune, of which there are a number of very good arrangements. I know the Willcocks one best.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6dcIRAr-gE - The Merbecke Choir singing the Willcocks arrangement.(09/01/2026)
'Christians Awake, salute the happy morn!'
A solid church hymn for Christmas Day.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz_YyrFqjcQ - recorded at the Metropolitan Tabernacle.(08/01/2026)
'Brightest and best of the sons of the morning'
An Epiphany hymn, and curiously enough that's the name of the tune too. The language is increasingly archaic, but the tune is bright and moves along nicely.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHLL6gPTreE - a live recording of the Cardiff Tabernacle congregation.(07/01/2026)
'As with gladness, men of old'
An Epiphany standard.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp52sx2_GYs - a Songs of Praise recording.(06/01/2026)
'While shepherds watched their flocks by night'
A Christmas hymn with many possible tunes - and there's no reason to use the same tune for all six verses. But in church, we usually use Winchester Old, briskly.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgYzJDxxzN8 - Kings, Cambridge: a five verse version with a fine descant on the last verse.(05/01/2026)
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